Seven students suspended in Uttar Pradesh for ragging

Lucknow, Nov 28 : Seven students of a government-run polytechnic in Uttar Pradesh have been suspended for ragging their juniors by forcing them to strip, consume alcohol and lick the ground, officials said Saturday.

The seven students of the Government Polytechnic, Dilgaon in Pilibhit district, some 250 km from here, were suspended following a preliminary enquiry that was initiated on a complaint registered by three juniors Friday with the college authorities, officials of the polytechnic said.

In their complaint, the three first year students pursuing a course in electronics trade alleged that the third year students had ragged them on campus Thursday and Friday.

According to them, the seven seniors -- Prem Kumar, Amit Singh, Hariom Pandey, Arun Kumar, Arvind Kumar, Sandeep Kumar and Surabh Awasthi -- assaulted them with iron rods, made them strip, roll on the floor and lick the ground.

The college's acting principal A.K. Saxena said the seven had been suspended.

"All of them have been placed under suspension. They may even be rusticated for their violent behaviour towards the junior students," Saxena told reporters.